Blog Post

You or someone you know has surely said in the past, “I think I will just rent one of those machines from the store” when staring at dirty carpet. Renting a carpet cleaning machine from the store can sound like a good option to save a few dollars, but what are some of the draw backs to the DYI process? Here are ten things to consider before you decide.

Machine Rental. You will have to go to the store to rent the machine. This is not nearly as convenient as a professional coming to you. Especially when the store has all of their machines rented out when you get there, which happens frequently.

Detergent. You will have to purchase a detergent product for the machine. Then you have to mix it to the right ratios. You might not even be sure that you did it correctly, or know if it will clean effectively. The cashier usually doesn’t have any appropriate answers to your questions, other than to follow the instructions on the bottle.

Transporting. You will have to get the machine in and out of your car. Thankfully, rental machines are usually pretty light and small, but that means that they sacrificed important features like water pressure and extraction power. Let’s face it – if professional cleaners could do quality work with something small and light, wouldn’t they?

Time. You will begin cleaning and realize that it is taking a very long time. From renting the machine, driving home, mixing the cleaner, and passing over the carpet, it is quite time consuming. Plus, you have to keep stopping to empty dirty water and fill clean water (and mix more detergent).

Physical Concerns. Your back will probably start to hurt. It quickly becomes apparent that it is much harder to clean carpet than you thought, and much more taxing on your body than you were prepared for!

Spots. You will notice that the carpet is a little cleaner, but you can’t seem to get the tough spots out. You aren’t sure if it is because you mixed the cleaner incorrectly, or the machine isn’t working well, or something else entirely.

Lingering Wetness. You might notice that your carpet is still wet days later after you cleaned the carpets. This may be because the machine did not have enough power to pull the moisture out so the carpet can dry.

Browning. You might notice that your carpet looks brown after you clean it. If the machine’s extraction was not enough to remove the detergents, cleaning residue can attract dirt and oils which soil your carpet more quickly, making it look worse than the dirty carpet you started with.

Ripples. You might notice ripples in the carpet. Over wetting a carpet can cause delaminating, which happens when the primary and secondary backing of the carpet separate because the adhesive breaks down. This means that the carpet would have to be replaced.

Spores. You might not see this issue, but it is worth mentioning! Carpet that doesn’t dry properly can cause mold spores and fungi. When you breathe in these spores, it can cause respiratory issues and make you feel ill.

Obviously, there are important considerations when determining whether or not to hire a professional versus trying to do it yourself with a rented machine. These ten possibilities are worth weighing in the decision between saving a few dollars or saving many potential headaches. CJs Carpet Cleaning specializes in carpet cleaning so that you don’t have to!

About Post Author

Chris is an Army veteran having served in Desert Storm and a former law enforcement officer. He’s lived in Pinellas County since 1982. Chris is married and has four kids and four grandkids. He has been in the industry since 1992.